The requirement that one event occurs before another event doesn't inherently dictate a time period between them. I need to shovel snow from my driveway before I can take the car out, but the fact I just finished shoveling the snow doesn't mean I must take the car out immediately.
No intervening events required that I know of. There are more Christians living on the earth at this moment that combined for all the years prior to 1950. Perhaps Christ is delaying his return so that we will have more brothers and sisters to spend eternity with.
Right, but they still hold power over me. Authority over me. Even if they “serve” me, one of the “people.”
The Constitution of the United States, and the laws properly promulgated by Congress and the several states, limit your rights to some degree, as agreed by your elected officials in compliance with the federal and state constitutions. Some of those laws have monetary and/or liberty consequences if violated. The law enforcement agencies of the federal and state governments enforce the laws that the people have enacted. The law has authority over you; no person or office does.
I see nothing in the text to suggest that bearers of the mark are redeemable. As a futurist, i take the scanario literally, and do not interpret it to be the impardonable sin.
Am I misunderstanding you? Your first line sounds like they can’t be saved. Your last line sounds like they can.
Two different topics in the text: The unforgivable sin and the mark of the beast. 3 distinct requirements for the latter: The mark, the number or the name of the beast. In the context of Revelation, a specific group of people at a specific place in history, involving a specific person, or figure, the beast. To receive the mark is to be identified with that particular person, who is subject to the wrath of God. To be identified with that rebel, is, if I get the drift of the text correctly, to be sealed. To be sealed, as such, is having pledged allegiance to the beast, never to seek or desire salvation in Christ. Do not see any such turning to Christ, for those sealed with the mark, in the text - no salvation and a unique announcement of judgement.
Revelation 14:9-10 is clear. A rule of biblical interpretation is to interpret the Bible from the clear verses and not change what God's words say otherwise we make nonsense out of what God says. Taking the mark of the beast is blasphemy of the Holy spirit which will not be forgiven. You can't take a name of blasphemy and all it represents...you can't be anathema and in the faith. If you study Revelation and the end times, there are many verses that show man does not repent which is why they are being punished.
Thought this would be the place to put this comment. Lately I have found some people equating The Mark of the Beast with vaccinations.
Just yesterday someone openly wondered if CERN's logo was a 666. And they have a dreaded statue of Shiva.